


Music

by Clarence_Jennette



Category: Sleepless Domain (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26362741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarence_Jennette/pseuds/Clarence_Jennette
Summary: What happened after Undine left Team Forte in Chapter 5.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Music

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Sleepless Domain](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/680320) by Mary Cagle (Cube). 



**Music**

* * *

“The Inner Barrier will deactivate shortly. Please make sure the streets are clear of monsters, and take care on your way home.”

Roni could feel a headache building behind her eyes. She always did when the team was not entirely in tune since it made fighting the monsters that much more difficult. And she had a shrewd idea of where that discordant note was coming from.

Earlier that evening they had encountered Alchemical Water, the only survivor of Team Alchemical. Well … that wasn’t entirely accurate. Better to say the last powered member of Team Alchemical. It had been awkward. Beyond awkward, even. Roni was sure Gail was still upset about it.

Gail was a bit in front of the others. Suddenly she whirled around and gestured peremptorily.

 _Stop._

Un oh, Roni thought. The look on her face ….

Gail signed furiously 

_What were you all thinking?!_

Bewildered, Debbi said, “What are you talking about?”

_Undine. Undine Wells!_

Keys said cooly, “Look, I feel for the girl as much as you do. But she just wasn’t the right fit for us. I mean, her outfit completely clashed with our aesthetic and …”

At the same time Debbi was saying “And we don’t know if she can play an instrument or sing and we already have a blue and ...”

Oh Founder, Roni thought. I love them both but they’ve completely missed how freaked Gail is. She opened her mouth to speak, hoping to calm Gail down.

Gail unleashed a torrent of signing upon the three of them. Roni could read maybe one sign out of five but she got the gist, and it wasn’t complimentary. Keys immediately stopped talking and stepped back in shock. Debbi’s flow of words sputtered and stumbled to a halt and she just stood there with her mouth open staring at Gail. Roni was stunned. When Gail had a problem with them she usually went to Roni first because she respected Roni’s role as the leader of the band and expected her to make things right. She rarely called out everyone like this. And Roni had never, _ever_ seen Gail this mad.

Finally Gail ran down. She turned away from them, body rigid, hands fisted at her sides. She took a deep breath and turned back to them. She began signing, slowly and deliberately.

_She came to us for help. She had just lost practically everyone she cared about with the loss of her teammates. And all we can talk about are colors and themes and branding and oh, we have to talk to our manager and … autographs, for Founder’s sake!_

_Maybe she didn’t fit--I think she needs something more than we can give her--but when we turned her away we weren’t even going to give her some hope and support. That should’ve been the first thing we were thinking about! What if that happened to us? How would you feel if you were in her shoes?_

Roni’s breath caught at Gail’s last words.

Who or whatever gave magical girls their powers--The Founder? The City? Something or someone else?--had given Gail a little extra besides the music-based powers they all shared. Because she was mute? Who knew?

Roni thought it might be some form of empathic projection but wasn’t really sure. Whatever it was, Gail could make you _feel_. She scorned using it; she was very proud of her ability to communicate without using a “crutch” as she put it. Tonight was apparently one of the exceptions.

 _Keys._ She hated her given name, refused to use it, demanded everyone use her magical girl name instead. Roni wasn’t sure if she remembered what it was. Lindsay, maybe? 

What she did remember was all the hours she spent composing songs with her. Keys was their lyricist while Roni wrote the melody. She remembered the sheer giddiness they felt when a song finally came together. That glow of accomplishment they shared. 

_Debbi._ She was so immature. Usually got to their performance venues just in the nick of time. At least once a month Roni questioned why she’d invited her to join the band in the first place.

But Debbi took such _joy_ in performing. She kept them loose with her silly antics. She was annoying sometimes but you couldn’t stay mad at her for long. And she was the _best_ drummer. 

_Gail._ Their rock. She could say so much without saying anything at all. And she was the best damn musician of all of them, because her playing _was_ her voice.

 _The Music._ Their magic allowed them to use song to slay the monsters that threatened The City and they were proud to serve. But the music had captivated them long before The Dream, and even their band.

They loved performing in front of an audience. It gave them so much energy. But more than that, it was the music that suffused every part of their being, that made them feel _alive_.

Roni wasn’t sure if she would be able to go on if she lost all that. But Undine Wells was trying to. All she needed was a little help and they had almost failed to give it to her.

She looked at the others. Keys had her shoulders hunched, her head down, face red with embarrassment. Not so “cool” now. Debbi looked like a child about to cry. Roni herself was emotionally drained

Gail’s face softened as she looked at the three of them. Her gestures were almost gentle as she signed

_I think maybe you understand now._

Gail turned to Roni; her face was stern. She signed  
  
_Fix this._

What else could Roni do but nod yes?

A fleeting smile crossed Gail’s face. She signed _Thank you_ and they all started walking again.

Gail was right. It was her responsibility. She would apologize on behalf of the team for their boorishness. Maybe they couldn’t find a place on the team for Undine but somehow they’d manage to provide her support in other ways. It was the least they could do for a fellow magical girl, especially one that was being so brave in the face of terrible loss.

Mmmmm … Roni mused silently. There’s the germ of a song there ….

Roni began to hum quietly to herself as she made her way home with her friends. 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Forte Keys does not have a canon name in Sleepless Domain. Ultimately, instead of making one up for her I decided to go with the conceit having her hating her given name and preferring her magical girl name. "Lindsay" refers to Lindsay Schoolcraft, keyboardist to the band Cradle of Filth. I found her as part of a Google search on famous female keyboardists when I was playing with giving Keys a name. In a photo Schoolcraft had very dark blue hair, which is why I went with the name. Otherwise, no resemblance at all.
> 
> 2\. Gave Gail a little additional empathic power because I wanted to make sure people understood the impact she was having on the rest of the Team. Provided a reason we don't see that power in-universe by saying she generally refuses to use. Might still have worked without it but I left it in.


End file.
